Apparatus for the treatment of hydrocarbon fluids



J. R. ROSE May 1-8, 1937.

APPARATUS FOR THE TIUEIATMEN 'I OF HYDROCARBON FLUIDS Filed Dec. 20, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2/0 ssiyo A/w INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

2 Shets-SheetZ I NVENT OR.

May 18, 1937.

' ATTORNEY.

Patented May 18, 1937 PATENT, OFFICE- APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBON FLUIDS ,James R. Rose, Edgeworth, Pa., assignor of threefourths to Michael L. Benedum and Joseph 0. Trees, both of Pittsburgh, Pa.

' Application December 20, 1935, Serial No. 55,390

other gases, it is particlularly well adapted for the production of acetylene and benzene in accordance with the process described and claimed in my copending application No. 55,389 filed December 20, 1935.

It is the general purpose and object of "the invention to provide an apparatus which will not only enable me to treat an aeriform hydrocarbon fluid in an efiicient manner thereby to recover valuable products therefrom; but to provide an apparatus for this general purpose which shall be particularly eflicient in operation" and economical of production. My invention relates more particularly to the furnace or reaction chamber forming part of the apparatus whereinto the hydrocarbon fluid for treatment is introduced and maintained under the high pressures specified hereinafter, and still more limitedly to the manner of supplying the hydrocarbon fluid to the connection with said supply means is avoided.

I realize the foregoing general objects and the other more .limited objects by the apparatus shown in the drawings forming part hereof wherein Fig. 1 represents a somewhat diagrammatic view, with certain parts in section of such an apparatus; and Fig. 2 a vertical sectional view through the furnace and the cooperating parts shown in the preceding view. Fig. 2a is a section I and continuation of the lower part of Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. l, A represents the furnace, the details of which are shown in Fig. 2; B represents the ofitake for the gaseous products evolved in the furnace; C a'cooler through which the offtake leads; B a valve through which the cooled gaseous products may be delivered into the gasometer D. E denotes a pipe leading from D and conducting the gaseous products therein to a three-way valve H. From this valve, the gaseous 45 product may be delivered to a compressor G and thence to an absorbing tank F, which is provided with an outletpipe S having a three-way valve T therein from which valve extend the pipes S and U. I

J denotes another pipe connected with the valve H and leading through a heater K to a separating and absorbing apparatus indicated at L, L'.

From L there extends a pipe M having a valve M' therein for the separated and condensed con- 55 stituent of the gaseous product. From L a furnace or reaction chamber whereby leakage in pipe N extends to and communicates with the pipe 20, the pipe N having a three-way valve P therein with which valve also communicates a pipe R. It will be noted that the pipe U communicates with the pipe N betwen the valve P and the pipe 20. J

The .pipe 2!], beyond its junction with the pipe N, communicates at one end with a compressor 0 which compresses the gas received therein from pipe to the desired amount (say from 50 to 200 atmospheres) and delivers the same to a coil 20 in the lower part of the furnace A.- This furnace as shown in detail in Fig. 2 will now be described.

The furnace, indicated generally by A, comprises an upper section having a metallic external wall I and a lining 2, preferably of carbon blocks. on any suitable support, such as the beams 3 and 4, with the lower extension 5 having at the bottom the offtake connection B and also an opening 6 below the ofitake through which carbon or other non-volatile or non-gaseous materials may be removed.

Projecting into the upper portion of the furnace from opposite sides thereof are the hollow. positive carbon electrode 1 and the solid nega tive carbon electrode 8. The outer end of the electrode 1 is engaged bya hollow plunger I and the outer end of the electrode 8 is engaged by a solid plunger 8. the inner end of each of the plungers I and 8 are mounted within a casing" 9, and each casing has a flange II) by means of which. it is secured to a seat ll formed on the furnace wall I and surrounding the opening through which the electrode projects. Insulation I2 is inserted between the flanges Ill and II.

At its outer end, each casing 9 is provided with a stufling box l3 having packing I3 therein, thereby to prevent leakage of gas around the electrodes to the exterior of the furnace. Beyond each stufling box, each plunger is provided with water-cooling means comprising an annular chamber l4 surrounding each electrode, each chamber being connected with a cooling-water supply pipe [5.

l6 denotes brackets secured to the outer wall of the furnace and provided each at its outer end with a sleeve I! through which extend threaded operating rods 1 and 8 for the plunger rods I and'8 respectively. Each of these rods is engaged by an automatic feeding device l8, such as is well known in the industry and which will This upper section is shown as resting Each of these electrodes and 4 maintain substantially constant the distance between the inner end of the electrodes. v

The hollow plunger rod 7 and the electrode 1 are connected, through a housing I! having at its outer end a chamber i9, with the flexible section 20 of a gas-supply pipe 20 having a valve 20'. The inner or furnace-facing end of the chamber I9 is extended at l9 to form a tapered split sleeve which may be brought into engagement with the outer end of the plunger rod I by means of a nut 2| having a tapered extension 2| adapted to engage the tapered surface of the sleeve. Insulating material may be inserted between the sleeve and the plunger rod, as indicated at 22.

23 and 24 denote electrical conductors connected to the plunger rods I and 8, whereby said rods form external portions of the positive and negative electrodes.

Gas, such as methane, supplied through the pipe 20, enters the lower extension of the furnace, where the pipe is formed into a coil 20,-

preferably located adjacent to the furnace wall. The upper or rear end of the coil extends through the furnace wall and to the casing of the valve 20* 25 denotes any conventional high frequency apparatus applied to a suitable portion of the pipe 20 and capable of subjecting the gas in this portion of the pipe to the disruptive action of the arc, the said device being provided with conductors 26 and 21. The high-frequency apparatus may be one of the type manufactured by the General Electric Company and the Westinghouse Electric 8: Mfg. Company, comprising a chamber through which the gas is conveyed, said chamber containing non-sparking high-frequency coils, whereby an initial dissociation of the gas is instituted, which dissociation is completed by the are formed between the electrodes. Frequencies of 12,000,000 cycles per second are conventional and may be employed herein.

The operation of my apparatus will now be described, it being assumed, for purposes of illustration that methane or natural gas is to be treated therein for the purpose of producing acetylene and/or benzene therefrom. The gas is conducted through the pipe 20 to the compressor 0, whereby it is supplied into the furnace A under a pressure of from 50 to 200 atmospheres, the pressure being maintained by the conjoint action of the compressor and the valve B. The gas is preferably preheated by passing through the coil 20, and is also preferably subjected to the disruptive action of high frequency current through the apparatus 25, which effects a partial preliminary dissociation or ionization of the same. Due to the manner of mounting the electrodes and their plunger rods, the gas thus supplied to the furnace can be maintained under the desired pressure without leakage around the electrodes and the plunger rods. In the are formed between the electrodes, the methane is dissociated into acetylene and a gaseous fluid consisting essentially of hydrogen, in accordance with the reaction noted hereinbefore. Due to the pressure, the acetylene will not polymerize into benzene, notwithstanding the temperature.

The resultant mixture of acetylene and hydrogen will be delivered to the offtake flue B, such carbon as may be produced being removed through the offtake 6. The mixture of acetylene and hydrogen is passed through the cooler C, where its temperature is reduced below that which would produce polymerization; that is to say, below a temperature of 450 F. Through the valve B, the gaseous mixture is delivered under a pressure of a few ounces into the gasometer D, whence the mixture may be delivered through pipe E and valve H to the compressor G, whereby the mixture so delivered may be compressed into acetone'contained within the tank F. The hydrogen, not being absorbed in the acetone, will be removed through the pipe S and may be conducted thence to any point of storage; or a portion of the same may be directed by the three-way valve T into the pipe U, which communicates through the pipe N with the pipe 20 supplying methane to the furnace A.

Such proportion of the mixture of acetylene and hydrogen as it may be desirable to utilize for the production of benzene is conducted through pipe E, valve H and pipe J to the heater K, where the mixture is heated to a temperature of 1000" F. or more. This will result in polymerizing the acetylene into benzene; and the benzene and hydrogen will then be conducted to the separating and absorbing apparatus L, L, where the benzene will be separated in'liquid form and whence it may be withdrawn through the pipe M. The hydrogen will be taken ofi by the pipe N and a portion of the same may be allowed to enter pipe 20 through the threeway valve P, in the event that hydrogen is not being supplied thereto through the pipe U or if it is desirable to supplement the supply through the latter pipe.

It has been found in practice that, notwithstanding the fact that hydrogen is liberated in the furnace, nevertheless the presence of additional hydrogen isdesirable, to facilitate the dissociation of the methane and to limit, if not prevent, the destruction of the carbon electrodes and carbon furnace lining. Hence the provision for introducing the hydrogen into the furnace, and preferably in conjunction with the methane.

The apparatus described herein is comparatively inexpensive of production and capable of treating the volatile aeriform fluids in a very emcient manner for the purpose of converting them into other aeriform fluids; and is especially eflicient in the treatment of the particular aeriform fluids referred to herein and the recovery therefrom of the particular products specified.

The separating and absorbing apparatus L, L', as stated hereinbefore, may be of any standard type, one such apparatus being that known to the trade as Lectrodryer employing therein activated alumina.

The apparatus or system which, in addition to the furnace and electrodes and the means for supplying aeriform fluid into the region of the arc, includes the parts B, C, B, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, L, M, M, N, P, R, S, S, T, U, V and V (which enable the fluid treated in the furnace or reaction chamber A to be converted into acetylene and/or benzene) is claimed in my copending application No. 55,389, filed December 20, 1935.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination, with a furnace, of electrodes projecting thereinto and having their inner ends in proximity to each other, one of said electrodes being hollow; a hollow plunger engaging the outer end' of the hollow electrode; a plunger engaging the outer end of the other electrode; means for feeding said plungers thereby to maintain substantially constant the distance between the inner ends of said electrodes; means sealing the said electrodes and the inner ends of the plungers against escape of fluid therearound from the furnace; means for delivering an aeriform fluid under high pressure into the outer end aoeopsc of the hollow plunger; and means for maintain ing the fluid under high pressure in said furnace.

2. The combination, with a furnace, of electrodes projecting thereinto and having their inner ends in proximity to each other, one of said electrodes being hollow; a hollow plunger engaging the outer end of the hollow electrode; aplunger engaging the outer end of the other electrode; means for feeding said plungers thereby to maintain substantially constant the distance between the inner ends of said electrodes; means sealing the said electrodes and the inner ends of the plungers against the escape of fluid therearound from the furnace; a chambered sleeve mounted on and forming part of the means sealing the outer end of the hollow plunger; means for supplying an aeriform fluid under high pressure to the chamber of said sleeve and thence into the hollow plunger and hollow electrode; and means for maintaining the fluid under high pressure in said furnace.

3. The combination, with a furnacefof electrodes projecting thereinto through openings in the wall thereof and having their inner ends in proximity to each other; sleeves surrounding the said electrodes respectively; means interposed between the end of each sleeve which is adjacent to the furnace and the electrode in said sleeve for preventing the escape of fluid from the furnace at this point; plungers engaging each the outer end of an electrode andextending within the outer end of the sleeve surrounding the electrode so, engaged; a stufilng box secured to the outer end of each of said sleeves and surrounding the portion of the plunger which is within each sleeve; means for feeding said plungers thereby to maintain substantially constant the distance between the inner ends of said electrodes; means for delivering an aeriform fluid under high pressure, into the are formed by andbetween said electrodes; and means for maintaining the fluid under high pressure in said furnace.

-4. The combination, with a furnace, of electrodes projecting thereinto through openings in the wall thereof and having their inner ends in proximity to each other, one of said electrodes being hollow; sleeves surrounding the said electrodes, respectively; means interposed between the end of each sleeve which is adjacent to the furnace and the electrode in said sleeve for preventing the escape of fluid from the furnace at this point; a hollow plunger engaging the outer end of the'hollow electrode within the outer end of the sleeve surrounding said electrode; a plunger engaging the outer end of the other electrode within the outer end of the sleeve surrounding said other electrode; a stufflng box secured tothe outer end of each of said sleeves and surrounding the portion of the plunger which is within each sleeve; a chambered sleeve mounted on and sealing the outer end of the hollow plunger;-

thence through the hollow plunger and hollow electrode; and means for maintaining the fluid under high pressure in said furnace.

5. The combination, with a furnace, of electrodes projecting thereinto through openings in the wall thereof and having their inner ends in proximity to each other, one of said electrodes being hollow; sleeves surrounding the said electrodes, respectively; means interposed between the end of each sleeve which is adjacent to the furnace and the electrode in said sleeve for preventing the escape of fluid from the furnace at this point; a hollow plunger engaging the outer end of the hollow electrode with the outer end of the sleeve surrounding said electrode; a plunger engaging the outer end of the other electrode within the outer end of the sleeve surrounding said other electrode; a stufling box secured to the outer end of each of said sleeves and surrounding the portion of the plunger which is within each sleeve; means for feeding said plungers thereby to maintain substantially constant the distance between the inner ends of said electrodes; means for supplying an aeriform fluid under high pressure through the hollow plunger and hollow electrode into the furnace; and means for maintaining the fluid under high pressure in said furnace.

6. The combination, with a furnace, of electrodes projecting thereinto and having their inner ends in proximity to each other, a plunger engaging the outer end of each of said electrodes; means for feeding said plungers thereby to maintain substantially constant the distance between the inner ends of, said electrodes; sleeves surrounding the portions of the electrodes located outside the furnace and the inner ends of the plungers, thereby to prevent the-escape of fluid from the furnace; means for delivering an aeri- 

